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Chairwoman Lowey Statement at Full Committee Markup of FY 2020 Financial Services and General Government Funding Bill

2019-06-11 09:32

Statement

Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Committee's markup of the fiscal year 2020 Financial Services and General Government bill:

I congratulate Chairman Quigley and Ranking Member Graves for the bill before us.

With this bill, we complete our Full Committee markups and continue an orderly appropriations process to get the people’s business done on time.

House Democrats are fighting to ensure that America is safe, strong, and moving forward. With investments in our financial regulators and small businesses, we can help improve the financial security of every family. And with funding for election security, we can safeguard our democracy.

The bill before us would provide $12 billion for the IRS, including $2.56 billion for Taxpayer Services and $290 million for Business Systems Modernization. These increases are particularly important to secure sensitive data housed at the IRS.

To give our small businesses – which are the foundation of our economy – and their employees a better shot at success, this bill would provide a nearly 40 percent increase to the Small Business Administration, including a 14 percent increase for Entrepreneurial Development Programs, including Women’s Business Centers.

To combat the attacks on our democracy by foreign powers, the bill would provide $16.2 million for Election Assistance Commission operating expenses, a 76 percent increase, and $600 million for election security grants.

Other important measures would make DACA recipients eligible for Federal employment and prohibit the use of funds from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund to construct the president’s ill-conceived border wall.

What’s not in this bill is also noteworthy, starting with objectionable riders from previous years that threatened home rule for the District of Columbia, such as the ban on D.C. using its own local funds to support abortion services, needle exchanges, and the legalization of marijuana. The bill would also eliminate three riders related to the SEC and FEC aimed at thwarting transparency in disclosures of political contributions.

This bill would invest in a future that supports the security of our data and our elections and sets our communities up for success. I urge support.